


Caught In The Middle

by The_idea_master



Category: Avatar (TV), Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-07 23:28:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13445676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_idea_master/pseuds/The_idea_master
Summary: A request from a very nice person on Tumblr. Basically Mai and Zuko broke up and Ty Lee is the one person Mai can actually stand.





	Caught In The Middle

Mai was always the glum one, the unenthusiastic friend who made sure everyone else had a dose of realism in their lives. She couldn't help it much, ever since she was little all she saw was her father, and others whether they were relatives or friends of his, blowing smoke up each others' asses. It was stupid really so why should anyone blame her for being uninterested in things? 

That was one of the things she had always struggled with when it came to Zuko. He expected her to be invested all of the time, with every little accomplished he did, and she just couldn't muster the beefy to do it. Why should she blow smoke up his ass just like her father had done with other royalty members?

That was why Mai had always liked Ty Lee. The girl didn't need constant approval, she was energetic enough for the both of them. Ty Lee also seemed to comprehend the fact, from early on when they were kids, that she was the only one who really liked being an open book. Both Mai and Azula had been particularly closed off and Ty Lee had never pressed for details. 

Ultimately it was a wise decision. Mai presumed that if Ty Lee had cracked the two of them open, what she'd learn, would incinerate her naive little spirit. And honestly that would be quite a shame. The pink acrobat never question the reasons behind Mai's actions. Of course Mai was aware that Ty Lee was more than curious but there was a time and place to ask things. 

Preferably not when they'd all been invited back to the royal palace nearly five years since the war where the tensions was incredibly thick. Zuko was trying to make piece but from the looks of it no one really wanted that. 

Azula had made a recovery and was in charge of a lot when it came to the military, but her connection with Zuko was still very thin and delicate. Ty Lee had informed Mai of this and it wasn't hard to see that the siblings didn't want much to do with one another. 

Ty Lee was trying to stimulate some sort of conversation but it was ineffective. Azula was clearly taking to her isolationist mindset and caught up in her own world. Zuko was pretending to be interested in his food...and Mai was watching curiously. 

Ty Lee huffed from her place at the table. "You know this entire situation is pointless. I might as well be talking to my reflection." 

"That wouldn't be much of an issue if ZuZu cared to respond to your commentary; after all, he did arrange this." Azula sighed fixing her brother with a pointed look. Mai couldn't help but agree. 

"Well, pardon me. I assumed this would be more pleasant," Zuko sighed eyes scanning the table. 

"I could have told you, this would be pointless, if you'd told me this was your plan. It's not like any of you actually enjoy talking!" Ty Lee huffed, looking pointedly at her three companions. 

"Some of us just don't have much to say." Mai leaned back in her seat eyes staring up at the light fixtures. 

"I second that." Azula grumbled the legs of her chair grating against the ground. "Enjoy your little get together, I have more important things to do. Mai, nice to see you. Ty Lee, nice to see you're not in the circus." 

It was about as nice as Azula was going to get, and as close to admitting she actually didn't mind seeing her old friends. Ty Lee gave a hesitant wave as the fire bender stalked off. 

"You said she was supposed to stay the whole time," Mai spoke dryly. 

"Yeah, well you try convincing her to do something she doesn't want to." Zuko looked rather uninterested at his plate. 

"You used to be good at that. If I recall correctly you were quite persistent about making me socialize and go to the stupid beach." 

"Guys seriously? I thought we were over this whole thing." Ty Lee's leg bounced nervously under the table. 

"Clearly someone isn't." Zuko glared. "Not surprised; it's not like Mai really talks about how she feels." 

"You're not exactly easy to talk to as your wonderful sister pointed out." Mai countered. 

"Oh, so it's me? Tell me then, who exactly do you talk to?" Zuko's eyebrows arched upwards. 

"Pinky over here." Mai gestured lazily to where Ty Lee sat trying to seem fascinated by the table cloth. 

"You're kidding." Zuko pressed his lips into a thin line attempting to hide a laugh. 

"Since when do I joke?" Hat was a fair question even if it was sarcastic. 

"Alright then. Ty Lee does Mai tell you all about her problems or is she pulling a fast one on me?" Zuko leaned forward expression expectant. 

"I don't want to be apart of this, you guys know that! I hate being in the middle of discourse." Ty Lee never liked having to be the deciding factor, one way or another someone always ended up mad at her. 

"I was simply making a statement, I wasn't trying to drag you into the mess." Mai mumbled this time she gave Zuko the expectant look. If anything he should apologize, he had tried to take the acrobat down with the ship. 

Only, Zuko was too curious now to care all that much. "Please Ty Lee? Maybe it'll sort all of this out?" 

"Pffft. I'm not stupid Zuko." Ty Lee's featured scrunched up into an unamused frown. "If anything the both of you will end up arguing again." 

"Have some faith in me." 

"I have none." 

"No one asked you Mai." 

"And here we go again." The acrobat stood quickly hands pressed down on the table, glare on her face. "Good luck on your little dinner date. I'd rather be stuck in a cage with Azula when she's angry, than be around both of you guys." 

Both Mai and Zuko watched with surprised expressions as Ty Lee stormed away most likely heading to her room. With a long sigh Mai stood from her place at the table. "You really know how to ruin a mood." 

"Pardon me, but I'm not used to handling three completely different women at once." Mai hardly paid attention to his words and left eager to make sure Ty Lee's feelings hadn't been completely crushed. 

Mai rapped lightly on the door to the acrobat's room. For a moment there was no response before the door eased open. "What?"

"Just wanted to make sure you were okay." Mai shrugged studying the slightly smaller girl's appearance. 

"I'm perfectly fine. Are you here to drag me into another problem?" Ty Lee wasn't normally this passive aggressive. It was clear that maybe Mai had been a little too pushy lately. In all honesty she hadn't been looking forward to seeing Zuko again. 

Believe it or not Mai was beginning to understand exactly how Azula felt towards her brother. As troubling as that thought was she didn't dwell on it. "No. Argument's over." 

"I see." Ty Lee made no move to allow Mai entrance. "What else do you need?"

"I was just wondering why you didn't say anything." Mai hadn't expected the question to tumble out of her mouth but it was too late now. She had to go with it. "You are pretty much the only person I talk to on a personal level."

"Because the last thing I need is Zuko being mad at me. I don't think anyone here realizes how horrible of a position being put in the middle is. Back at the boiling rock I had to get between you and Azula. You're both my best friends and one of you was going to end up hurt no matter what. Same thing at dinner. If I defend you Zuko gets upset and if I don't say anything you get upset too." Ty Lee looked up at Mai wanting to make sure the quiet girl was actually listening. 

"I see. I'm sorry I forget sometimes. I'm used to doing things my way. I'll be more aware next time." Ty Lee blinked. She hadn't expected such a quick apology from Mai. Mai was bad about holding grudges and nearly as bad as Azula when it came to protecting her pride.

"Oh. Thanks that means a lot." The acrobat shifted awkwardly on her feet for a moment. "Would you wanna hang out with me? I get bored on my own and I'm not used to things being so quiet. At home there's always background noise because my family is so big. It's pretty unsettling to even try and go asleep without the background noise." 

"Yeah I guess. But I'm not exactly the most..." Mai didn't need to finish. Ty Lee flashed an understanding smile before stepping aside and allowing Mai to enter. The taller girl stepped inside and scanned the rather bare guest room. "Man, this is pretty odd. Sort of unsettling." 

"Told you. It's like no one's been in here for decades." Shaking her head Ty Lee flopped onto the bed tucking her arms behind her head. 

"Agreed. It's dreary even for me." Mai didn't joke often but around Ty Lee it seemed to come naturally. The pink dressed girl laughed at the small joke and Mai felt a tiny smile at the corners of her lips. 

"You would look good in pink. Not too much and nothing too bright. Maybe a pastel color." Ty Lee teased sitting up to study her friend. 

"Right. I'm sure it'd bring out my eyes or something." Mai rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. 

"Actually it would add an adorable color to your cheeks." Ty Lee playfully winked and rummaged around in the bedside table producing a small bow. 

"I'm not wearing that." Mai's guard was instantly up but the acrobat didn't seem to care at all. She climbed off the bed and bounded over with ease planting he bow in Mai's hair. 

"You don't get an option. Consider it a token of forgiveness." Ty Lee's eyes were shining with amusement and happiness. As much as Mai tried she couldn't completely despise the bow. 

"Fine but just for the night." Ty Lee cheered doing a small dance before leaping back into the bed. "Now go to sleep you're giving me a head ache." 

"I already told you I can't. It's too quiet," Mai sighed her brain racing to come up with a solution to the problem. She only had so much enthusiasm she could muster at a time. 

"Fine then get settled and I'll hum the stupid song my mom sings to my baby brother." Mai sounded like she was contemplating murder but Ty Lee didn't mind. 

"Alright I'm settled." Mai rolled her eyes and sat at the end of the bed, legs crossed, and began to hum. She didn't expect it to work at all but within minutes Ty Lee was out like a light. It was amusing really, and once again Mai found herself trying to smother a smile. "Guess you like the same stupid song."


End file.
